The National Gallery announces third partner for Asia Tour

Hong Kong Palace Museum 22 November 2023 – 11 April 2024

Masterpieces from the National Gallery, London – an exhibition of 52 paintings by artists such as Raphael, Titian, Caravaggio, Rembrandt, Constable, Monet, and Van Gogh – is touring Asia during 2023 and 2024.

The third partner, announced today, is the Hong Kong Palace Museum where the exhibition runs from 22 November 2023 until 11 April 2024.

As the Gallery prepares for NG200 – its year-long Bicentenary celebration from 10 May 2024 – significant building work in Trafalgar Square has given us an exceptional opportunity to bring even more people and paintings together globally by offering a chance for Asian audiences to access our collection without having to travel to London.

This series builds on the hugely successful tour to Australia and Japan in 2020 and 2021, which was enjoyed by more than 700,000 people, along with numerous other ongoing National Gallery activities in the Asia region including learning and retail experiences, plus digital and brand partnerships.

Masterpieces from the National Gallery, London drew record audiences at its first venue – the Shanghai Museum – where 420,000 people saw the National Gallery’s first-ever exhibition in China.

It is currently proving just as popular in Seoul, where it is on display at the National Museum of Korea until 9 October 2023. This is the National Gallery’s first visit to Korea and marks the 140th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the UK and Republic of Korea.

From Seoul it will travel to the Hong Kong Palace Museum (HKPM) opening on 22 November 2023 (until 11 April 2024). The exhibition in Hong Kong is one of four events supported by the Mega Arts and Cultural Events Fund (Mega ACE Fund) in 2023, a fund newly launched by the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region to support international and large-scale arts and cultural events in Hong Kong.

Masterpieces from the National Gallery is in essence a ‘National Gallery in miniature’ – a selection representative of the Gallery’s history which offers audiences a concise and beautiful history of Western art as uniquely told by the National Gallery’s collection.

Key loans include Sandro Botticelli, Three Miracles of Saint Zenobius (about 1500), Raphael, The Garvagh Madonna (about 1510–11), Jan Gossaert, A Young Princess (about 1530–2), Caravaggio, Boy bitten by a Lizard (about 1594–5), Rembrandt, Self Portrait at the Age of 63 (1669), Canaletto, Venice: Entrance to the Cannaregio (probably 1734–42), Vincent van Gogh, Long Grass with Butterflies (1890), Claude Monet, Irises (about 1914‒17), John Constable, Stratford Mill (1820) and Joseph Mallord William Turner, The Parting of Hero and Leander (before 1837).

Dr Gabriele Finaldi, Director of the National Gallery, says ‘I am very pleased that the National Gallery will be visiting Hong Kong with a superb representation of paintings by celebrated European artists. With this exhibition we are continuing to build on our highly successful previous tour of Australia and Japan and are now reaching new audiences across Asia. The Gallery has an important role to play in promoting the UK’s globally recognised position as a centre for culture and the arts, and we remain passionately committed to cultural exchange internationally. This tour demonstrates the continued interest of audiences from around the world in the European tradition and the world-renowned collection we are custodians of here at the National Gallery. We were delighted so many people enjoyed this exhibition in Shanghai and Seoul, and we are now looking forward to introducing it to visitors in Hong Kong.’

Dr Louis Ng, Museum Director of the HKPM, said, ‘The HKPM is thrilled to be the first cultural institution in Hong Kong to partner with the National Gallery in bringing the most significant works in its collection to Hong Kong. The exhibition takes visitors on a journey through Western art history, affording audiences in Hong Kong and the nearby cities an exceptional opportunity to view these legendary paintings without having to travel to London. As a leading museum with a global vision, the HKPM is committed not only to helping traditional Chinese culture go global, but also to bridging the world's diverse civilisations through intercultural dialogue and partnerships, solidifying Hong Kong’s position as an East-meets-West centre for international cultural exchange.’

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Notes to editors

The National Gallery is one of the greatest art galleries in the world. Founded by Parliament in 1824, the Gallery houses the nation’s collection of paintings in the Western European tradition from the late 13th to the early 20th century. The collection includes works by Artemisia Gentileschi, Bellini, Cézanne, Degas, Leonardo, Monet, Raphael, Rembrandt, Renoir, Rubens, Titian, Turner, Van Dyck, Van Gogh and Velázquez. The Gallery’s key objectives are to care for and enhance the collection and provide the best possible access to visitors. Admission free.

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The Hong Kong Palace Museum aspires to become a leading cultural institution committed to the study and appreciation of Chinese art and culture, while advancing dialogue among world civilisations. The Hong Kong Palace Museum is a collaborative project between the West Kowloon Cultural District Authority and the Palace Museum, which is funded by The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust with a donation of HK$3.5 billion for its establishment, as well as some of the annual exhibitions and education programmes in 2023‒31. Embracing new curatorial approaches, the Museum offers a Hong Kong perspective and a global vision, presenting the finest objects from the Palace Museum and other important cultural institutions around the world. Through research, exhibitions, and educational and professional exchange programmes, the Museum will build international partnerships and help position Hong Kong as a global hub for art and culture. At heart a resource that belongs to the community of Hong Kong, the Museum will inspire community engagement, foster dialogue, and promote creativity and interdisciplinary collaboration. More information at www.hkpm.org.hk

For more information

National Gallery Press Office on 020 7747 2865 or email press.external@nationalgallery.org.uk

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